Rum and Cherry Pie
by dolceeevita
Summary: After the return from Neverland, Emma notices a certain pirate hasn't shown up to the Town festivities...She visits him on The Jolly Roger to convince the Captain he belongs.
1. Rum and Cherry Pie

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

A little could be moment for Captain Swan for whenever our crew returns from Neverland.

—

The cloaked town of Storybrooke beamed its brightest residents for the first time in months as the celebration for Henry's safe return commenced in the Town Square. The dysfunctional crew managed to escape Neverland with the help of an unexpected fairy and a brave Captain who managed to fight off The Lost Ones just in time for Tinker Bell's sacred pixie dust to transport the group back to the safe clutches of Storybrooke.

Danger still loomed in the air, but tonight the tiny spot in Maine that had magic was safe from outsiders and evil that ripped shadows away from you. The feast led by the acting town mayor, Belle French, was humble in its detail - the entire town put together 'Welcome Home' banners and brought homemade food and wine for the return of Storybrooke's most loved (and even hated) residents. The clan was overwhelmed with the outpouring of love and concern, but all Emma Swan wanted to do was hug her son tight and go home with her family.

And perhaps, take another hot shower to cleanse herself from the island of terror that tried to kill her son. Neverland, at least under the control of the Lost Ones, was not the vacation from your problems you would expect. It was a nightmare that she couldn't believe she survived with her family alive and she had to admit if it wasn't for a certain pirate-

Emma, come to think of it, hadn't seen Hook in town at all. She is fairly certain he hadn't once left the ship since their twenty-four hour return. Perhaps she should visit him, let him know that he belongs-

"Ms. Swan."

Emma turned around to see Regina in front of her, with a sleeping Henry wrapped protectively around her arms.

"Henry seems tuckered out from the festivities. Would you care to take him home?"

Emma and Regina had come to a strange understanding ever since they saved the town together. She could see that the Queen wanted to take Henry home.

"Of course…Unless you would like to take him for the night?"

Regina looked pleasantly surprised, "Really?"

Emma smiled, "He was with us last night. You deserve some time together."

"Thank you. I will bring him by tomorrow."

As Regina was about to leave, Emma couldn't help herself from asking about the Captain who helped saved their son.

"Have you seen Hook?"

Regina put on her best smirk, "He's probably on his ship. Missing the one-handed Captain already?"

She huffed, "No, he just deserves to celebrate too. He helped us save Henry."

"Sure. Whatever you say, Emma."

With that, Regina made way back to her car.

Emma didn't like Regina's tone at all. She couldn't possibly miss him or care this much…Yet, she found herself scanning the dwindling celebration with no sign of the Captain in sight. With her parents at a distance, she decided to follow her gut before they could spot her, it was time to pay Killian Jones a visit.

—

The Jolly Roger was quiet tonight, she swayed to the calm waves and starry sky that was the perfect medicine after a ship's grand adventure. The Roger was a strong, magical vessel but she too needed her rest and relaxation. The Captain took to his own cabin that evening, not wanting to feel the wind of celebration around him. Sure, he was happy to help save the lad, but what's next? His quests are over; all that was before him was a bottle of rum, a couple of empty glasses and a cherry pie Belle brought as peace-offering between them. He practically tried to kill her and the _bloody_ lass brought him a cherry pie and a book. He offered her a glass of rum as form of his own apology, and she surprisingly accepted.

Everyone was being kind to him, even the Crocodile put his hand on his shoulder before leaving the ship and quietly thanked him.

Yet, he didn't feel like a hero or even part of _anything_. He helped to feel alive again, to redeem his soul and maybe even for a certain blonde-

"Hey."

Killian must have been so collected in his own thoughts, that he didn't hear anyone come aboard his ship.

"What are you doing here?"

"Hello to you too."

He didn't mean to sound harsh, but never would he have thought she'd voluntary seek him out. Even now. Even after they'd become closest to the word _friends_ on their adventure. He still couldn't believe her to seek him out without agenda. _No one_ had for centuries.

"I am sorry Swan, I just thought you'd be with your boy celebrating."

"I was, but Henry got tired. Regina took him for the night-

"So you and the Queen are getting along nicely now?"

"I wouldn't say that but-

"Family dinners and holidays gatherings in your future?"

"Alright, shut up. I came to see why you didn't join us."

Killian rose and approached her, with an icy smile.

"I don't belong Swan. We both know it."

She shook her head and subconsciously moved closer to him.

"You do. You helped us, okay? You did a lot of great things out there-

"I almost got you killed many times, lass. I am no hero-

"You could be, someday. You did a heroic thing whether you like it or not, deal with it."

He embraced their proximity and whispered, "Oh, such a tough lass."

Emma moved away and rolled her eyes, "Are you coming or not?"

"No." He paused and motioned to his earlier spot. "You are welcome to stay and have a spot of rum with me."

He was expecting her to walk away, but she merely sat down and poured herself a drink. She noticed the beautiful pie, untouched.

"So rum…and pie?"

"Aye, lass. Rum and pie it is."

—

Two hours later, the two semi-devoured Belle's cherry pie and drank a bottle of rum between them.

Emma giggled and motioned to Killian using his hook as a fork, "You are disgusting."

"Please, my dear. You don't know how good a piece of pie tastes until you eat it off a deadly object," he winked suggestively.

She scoffed, "I will stick to my fork, Captain."

"Your loss," he said using a nearby rag to finish cleaning off his hook.

"More rum?" he grinned.

Emma looked at her phone: Three missed calls from Mary Margret and a text from David asking where she was.

"Definitely more rum."

—

Before Emma continued drinking, she responsibly answered her royal parents that she was fine and catching up on some work at the station. They didn't answer back and she assumed they were otherwise engaged with…other activities.

At this point Hook was wearing a more relaxed shirt, similar to the one he wore back when they first climbed the beanstalk in the Enchanted Forest. Emma was in her white tank top and jeans, hair curled and the red jacket she came to town in draped around her chair.

"I must say Swan, your hair looks enchanting."

She couldn't help but blush, in which she swore it was the rum. "Thanks. You look nice too."

"Nice?" His eyebrow shot up. "I don't do nice."

Emma rolled her eyes, "Right, you have to be a tough, bloodthirsty pirate all the time."

"And a gentleman," he adds, "Always a gentleman."

"Uh huh." She paused and takes a breath. "I know why it's hard, but you belong here now. You are part of something."

He bit his lip, "Emma, come on." He holds up his hook and stated as if recited, "I will always be the bad guy in the end. I will never change."

The rum has officially triggered his memories of Bae, the part of his story he hates to revisit, especially now.

Emma got up rubbed her eyes in frustration, "I changed after 28 years of not trusting people, after 10 years of being hurt. You can change too. In fact, you already have," she said with a soft smile.

"How?" His voice more desperate than intended.

Her eyes met his and she took a final sip of rum before answering.

"You put everyone else on that ship before you. You made sure even your mortal enemy didn't die and found a way to get Tinker Bell to help us. You saved my son from the Lost Ones. You made sure I got an extra blanket every night and reassured me when I thought hope was lost…You are living your second chance now. Don't start wasting it now."

He was mesmerized, the words drawled out the tiniest bit of hope inside of him into a full-blown beaming star. He rose, moving close to her and traced his thumb along her face.

"You're right, love. I need to stop wasting my second chance."

Before she could answer, he pulled her into a kiss that tasted like rum and cherry pie. The kiss was gentle and slow, and he pulled away unaware of her reaction.

Their eyes met and Emma's were bright and slightly glazed. _Bloody hell_, he thought. She didn't want this of course, she didn't want this.

He began to back away, "I'm sorry Swan, I got carried away."

Emma shook her head and grabbed his good hand. She used her other hand to grab his face and pulled him into a deep kiss. Instinctively, he put his other arm around her and pulled her close to him.

They broke away for a moment and Emma smiled between kisses, "Come to town tomorrow?"

Killian doesn't answer, but unlinked his hand with Emma and lifted her into his arms. He whispered in her ear before bringing her to his bed, "Only if there is more pie."


	2. Aftermath and declarations

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Thanks for the feedback. Inspired me to write more :).

-D

**—**

**II. Aftermath and declarations**

Rays of light trickled in from the ship that hit Killian Jones straight on his scruffy face. He winced at the sunlight, he was quite exhausted from his night with Emma and merely want to recover from the months of physical and mental exhaustion of trying to fight his feelings for the Swan. With that, he realized he indeed spent the night with Emma and it wasn't some dream he was about to be brutally woken up from.

**_Or was it?_**

He was slightly afraid to turn to the other side of the bed, almost certain that she was gone. With a brave sigh he turned over, ready for the inevitable.

Alas, he was proven right.

His side was empty, and he placed his hand on her imprint as the disappointment sunk in.

_Was she ashamed?_

Last night just measured up to a pure escape, he was wrong to mix it with another foreign emotion he had kept in captivity for so long-

With that, the door creaked open and his favorite blonde entered the room in different clothes and held a brown bag.

She was wearing a green sweater with a tight black skirt, and a redness in her cheeks that wasn't there before last night.

_"_Swan. I see you come bearing gifts."

She could see the confusion on his face and smiled gently, "I had to meet my parents this morning, impromptu family gathering. Didn't want to wake you."

He smiled tensely, "Thanks for the consideration, lass."

The Captain rose and put his hook back on, as well as his clothes from the night before.

"You're seriously upset that I didn't wake you?" Emma looked at him with confusion. "Do you really want my father to kill you the second we started-

"Started what? What exactly did we start here Emma?"

"I don't know but-

"Was it a one night event?"

"Hook, where is this-

"Because I want more."

"What?" She breathed. "More?"

He grabbed the fabric of her skirt with his hook, pulling her close to him. His forehead touched hers and their hearts were completely in sync, beating nervously to the sound of their fearful truth.

"I want all of you Emma. I want to protect Henry. I want your father to try to kill me and then become my best mate. I want to bury my demons and be worthy...Savvy?"

She pulled away to reach for the brown bag she entered with.

"Open this."

He looked at her curiously, slightly dejected she didn't answer him.

Killian opened the brown bag to see dozens of 'welcome back' cards from residents neatly resided in a bundle and something wrapped in a familiar cloth that once belonged to him.

"Is this?"

She nodded impatiently, "Look inside."

He unraveled the cloth that was once used to wrap Emma's wound, to see a beautiful, golden hook.

For the first time in a long while, Killian Jones was speechless.

"This is stunning lass."

"It's a thank you from my family...and from me."

"You did this?"

"Apparently my magic knows no bounds," she grinned. She walked over to him and motioned toward his hook. "May I?"

"If you dare," Killian teased.

Emma twisted his attachment off, and gently placed the new hook in its rightful spot.

He tested out his new attachment by moving a strand of Emma's hair behind her ear.

"So does this mean I am a 'good' pirate then?"

"It means you're Killian Jones, a mischievously handsome pirate with a past...who I am with."

He looked at her curiously, "Emma-

It was her move now and she kissed him to cut off any doubts he was about to declare. She pulled away with regret, but there was other business they had to attend to.

"We should head to town now. There's a meeting-"

"Are you sure today is a good day for that? I think we should stay here and test all the ways to get that contraption you're wearing off. Starting with my new-

"They know."

He pouted."Who's _they_? And what do _they _know lass?"

"My family. They know that we're together."

The Captain was not surprised. After all, she didn't make it home until this morning.

"So you just assumed I'd want to be with you Swan? Quite arrogant of you, I must say. Even for a princess that is bold," he mused with enjoyment.

"Watch it buddy, or I could leave you with _no attachments_."

_"_You know if you are handling them, I think I'd quite like-

Emma groaned, "You are impossible."

"Impossibly yours now," he winked with affection.

"Yes. Yes, you are," she replied in complete contentment as she kissed him on the cheek and scurried him out the cabin doors.

"There better be pie, Swan!"


End file.
